My name is Tara Streit. I am a physician assistant and I currently practice in the Department of Emergency Medicine at University Hospital here in Madison. On behalf of the Wisconsin Academy of Physician Assistants, I am here to testify in support of Senate Bill 161.

Advanced Practice Clinicians (APCs), such as the over 2,000 PAs like me in Wisconsin, play a crucial role in rural hospitals and clinics because patients in rural areas rely on APCs as a primary care access point. PAs provide a full range of medical care to patients including: taking histories, ordering and interpreting tests, diagnosing, establishing treatment plans, making referrals and writing prescriptions. We practice in every medical setting, including specialty care and surgery.

However, there is an increasing shortage in APCs in rural areas. Over 80 percent of Wisconsin counties have hospital vacancies for APCs that exceed 10 percent. As the communications and student liaison chair of the Wisconsin Academy of Physician Assistants, I frequently travel to all five PA schools here in Wisconsin and I often hear about difficulties associated with identifying enough preceptor sites in Wisconsin. SB 161, introduced by Sen. Testin and Reps. Quinn, Kolste, Brooks and Tranel, will help address this problem by providing new, needed resources for APCs to train in rural areas. The grant matching program would incentivize new clinical rotation programs to be established in rural communities that primarily rely on APCs for health care.

I ask that you support SB 161 to help ensure that physician assistants can provide the best health care possible to Wisconsin residents in all parts of the state, particularly the rural parts, which are too often underserved.

Thank you for your time.I’d be happy to attempt to answer any questions you may have.

To:Chairperson Nancy VanderMeer

Members, Assembly Committee on Rural Development and Mining

From:Beverly Speece, MTS, PA-C

Date:May 3, 2017

Subject:Support for AB 227 - Advanced Practice Clinician Grants

My name is Beverly Speece. I am a physician assistant and I currently serve as the Director of Clinical Education at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Physician Assistant Program. On behalf of the Wisconsin Academy of Physician Assistants, I am here to testify in support of Assembly Bill 227.

Advanced Practice Clinicians (APCs), such as the over 2,000 PAs like me in Wisconsin, play a crucial role in rural hospital and clinics because patients in rural areas rely on APCs as a primary care access point. PAs provide a full range of medical care to patients including: taking histories, ordering and interpreting tests, diagnosing, establishing treatment plans, making referrals and writing prescriptions. We practice in every medical setting, including specialty care and surgery.

However, there is an increasing shortage in APCs in rural areas. Over 80 percent of Wisconsin counties have hospital vacancies for APCs that exceed 10 percent. AB 227, introduced by Reps. Quinn, Kolste, Brooks and Tranel and Sen. Testin, would provide new resources for APCs to train in rural areas. The grant matching program would incentivize new clinical rotation programs to be established in rural communities that primarily rely on APCs for health care.

I have seen how this type of funding can make a difference.Three years ago we started our ‘wisPACT’ track (Wisconsin PA Community Tract) that was initially supported by grant funding, where we train students from central/northern Wisconsin with the goal of having them return to their home communities to work.Last year we graduated our first wisPACT class and many of these graduates are now working in rural communities.Next week we will graduate 8 more such students

I ask that you support AB 227 to help ensure that physician assistants can provide the best health care possible to Wisconsin residents in all parts of the state, particularly the rural parts, which are too often underserved.

Thank you for your time.I’d be happy to attempt to answer any questions you may have.